Author visits Cape Girardeau schools

Central High School sophomore Jeffrey Sanders has written a few short stories and wants to be an author when he gets older. He hoped Wednesday's Writer's Workshop with author Jacqueline Woodson would give him an insight into what it takes.

Woodson, who lives in New York City, opened the informal workshop at the school library by reading aloud from her book "Behind You" and explaining the vignette style she wrote the passage in. She asked the students to participate in a guided free writing assignment followed by an open discussion.

"Tell your story. Every one of us has a story, and you all have a right to tell that story," Woodson said.

She advised the students to write what they know and not worry about making their families mad because they will get over it.

"It's about your survival. It's not about theirs anymore," Woodson said.

Sanders is reading "Behind You," and says he can relate to the characters. "It's almost like you know them," he said.

The characters use slang and talk like modern people, Sanders said.

He listened attentively as Woodson explained why she was there. "This is more talking about the process of writing than my process of writing," Woodson said.

Woodson is the first author Sanders has met.

"Writers are going to find their inspiration whether they meet an author or not," she said. "I never met an author as a kid and I still wrote."

He concluded that it takes a lot of imagination and patience to be a writer.

Woodson's visit was paid for by Youth Education Literacy Learning (YELL) and the Southeast Missouri Library Association. She also visited Franklin Elementary and Central Middle schools Wednesday.

Kim Mothershead, president of YELL, said she hopes through author visits students see that authors are real people with real stories and that anyone can be a writer.

ameyer@semissourian.com

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